When you think of modifications to your 4x4, what are the first items that spring to mind? Lockers? Lift? Tires? Yeah, I thought so. And at the end of the list, or maybe not even on the list, are better seats.

Seats were never a high priority on my list either, until my stock seats started to sag and loose their shape. Worn seats will tire you out much more quickly because your body has to work harder to maintain its position in the seats while your 4x4 bounces and rocks on the trail. You're probably pooh-poohing that statement but until you try a set of firm, off-road seats, you'll never know the full worth of proper seats.

I became a firm believer in upgraded seats when I recently replaced my tired, old stock seats with a pair of Bestop TrailMax Aqua Sport seats. These seats are upholstered with a neoprene fabric which can easily shake-off the wet weather that is so common to the BC south coast and are perfect for a Jeep that spends most of its time with the top down. Currently these seats are only available in black but Bestop is working on making charcoal and spice versions available. The backbone of the TrailMax seat is a durable, corrosion-resistant Atlas Frame fitted with V-ROR Springs which increase support as pressure on them increases. For padding, Ultimate Foam is used to provide very firm but comfortable support. Of course, these seats recline and come with mesh storage pockets on their backs. To recline, a Euro-style knob is used to provide infinite levels of adjustment. It's a bit slower than the lever adjustment on the factory seat but the end result is much more precise with none of the slop associated with the former. I was able to easily adjust the seat angle to a position that was perfect for my comfort, something that I hadn't been able to do with my stock seats because the detente positions were too far apart. So, in my opinion, the Euro-style adjuster is a definite improvement.

The differences between the TrailMax Aqua Sport seat and the factory seat are clear. Bestop's seat provides much better bolsters and seat padding.

Installation doesn't get much simpler than this:1. Remove two bolts from the bottom of the seat. (We've taken the seat pedestal out in order to snap this photo.)

2. Remove the old seat.

3. Install new seat and re-install the two bolts.
That's it, you're done! If you have 15 minutes of free time, you can install Bestop seats. The holes lined up perfectly.

Here's another shot comparing the two seats. Note the Euro-style seat adjuster knob on the Aqua Sport.

The "Ultimate Foam" used in Bestop seats is very firm and should last a very long time.

The biggest improvement, though, is the excellent lateral support provided by the bolsters. A week after installing the seats I went for three day's of fourwheeling at Rock Crawl 2002. Besides spending a full day on the trail each day, we also had to drive 45 min. to and from the trailhead over badly potholed and washboarded logging roads. The Aqua Sports proved their worth by reducing the fatigue I would normally experience during such a long day in the "saddle." The large bolsters held me firmly in place. Driver fatique caused by side-to-side rocking was greatly reduced. The frustration of trying to find the perfect seat position was gone thanks to the Euro-style adjusters which allowed me to reach those "in-between" seat back positions that were impossible with the factory seats. And the horror of having to sit on a vinyl seat on a hot day was a thing of the past. The neoprene fabric is waterproof but at the same time allows your skin to breathe. You won't need a spatula to peel yourself off these seats. It sounds frivolous talking about seat comfort when offroading but think about it; you are sitting for very long periods of time when you drive. If you can minimize your discomfort and fatigue, you will be much more alert. It also makes the fourwheeling experience much more enjoyable. In short, I've been very happy with my decision to upgrade to Bestop's TrailMax Aqua Sports.

As an added bonus, installation took a mere 15 minutes. It was the easiest upgrade I've ever done.